This application claims the priority of Italian application TO 96 A 000244 filed Mar. 29, 1996 in Italy.
The invention relates to an adjustable axial fastening device for an actuating cable, which comprises an actuating covering and a core, at least one of these two actuating members being provided at the end with an adjustable axial fastening device.
With actuating cables it is necessary to adjust them during assembly and possibly to carry out a further (subsequent) adjustment at a later time. In this case it is usual to set the axial distance between the actuating covering and the core. For this purpose an adjustable axial fastening device is provided at the end of at least one of these two components. Generally known adjustable axial fastening devices comprise a threaded part for example, on which a stop is formed by means of two nuts locked against each other. It is likewise generally known to screw a threaded part of this type firmly in a holding means and to secure it by a lock nut. In addition it is generally known, for throttle cables for internal-combustion engines for example, to provide a fastening device with a plurality of grooves arranged in succession and to insert a retaining spring into one of these grooves, the retaining spring then acting as a stop on a retaining plate.
In contrast, an object of the invention is to provide an adjustable axial fastening device for an actuating cable, which can be precisely adjusted and is easy to assemble.
In order to attain this object, it is proposed according to the invention to use a securing member for an adjustable axial fastening device, the securing member being movable radially with respect to the actuating cable and being provided on the inside with a radial set of teeth in an area which embraces the attachment part. A rapid and precisely adjustable axial fixing is now possible in an advantageous manner. Since a rotational movement is not necessary in this case, it is also no longer necessary--in contrast to the known solutions--to support the attachment member during adjustment, so that the rotational movement required for fastening known securing members is not transmitted to the attachment member.
Advantageous further features of preferred embodiments of the invention are set out below.
In preferred embodiments, it is proposed to give the set of teeth of the securing member a pitch. This makes it possible to alter the axial adjustment subsequently, without the securing member having to be released. Although it is now necessary to rotate the attachment part for this subsequent adjustment, the above-mentioned advantage of the initial assembly without rotation is retained.
For the area of the attachment part which cooperates with the securing member, it is provided, in preferred embodiments that it is given a corresponding set of teeth.
Alteratively, for the area cooperating with the securing member it is proposed in an alternative embodiment to make the area in the attachment part softer than the securing member in the area of its set of teeth and to make it at least partially plastically deformable. With this embodiment the set of teeth of the securing member bites into the soft area of the attachment part during assembly and produces a corresponding toothing here.
For the securing member it is proposed, according to certain preferred embodiments that the attachment part has an aperture into which the securing member can be inserted and in which catching means cooperating with the securing member are provided in order to lock the securing member in the end position thereof. In a further development of these embodiments, it is proposed to construct the catching means with two steps and additionally to provide a locking in an assembly position before the locking in the end position. In this way, it is made possible for the securing member to be pre-assembled on the attachment part in such a way as to prevent its loss and for the assembly and adjustment procedure of the actuating cable to be simplified.
Finally, it is proposed for certain preferred embodiments to form the contour of the securing member in such a way that it is inserted flush into the outer contour of the attachment part in the end position. This step improves the fastening of the axial adjustment, since the securing member now no longer has any engagement surfaces for inadvertent detachment.